850 fast-track courts to be set up across India:₹14,500 crore approved to boost electricity storage capacity

The Union government approved several important decisions at a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday. These included approval for the establishment of 850 fast-track courts for the speedy disposal of sexual assault and rape cases. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said at a press briefing that the Cabinet had approved a ₹14,500 crore scheme for a grid-scale energy storage capacity programme with a capacity of 92 gigawatt-hours (GWh) to store electricity. It also approved a ₹4,371 crore scheme to revamp the data collection system. In addition, a scheme for the processing of critical minerals was approved. Ashwini Vaishnaw said the 92 GWh grid-scale energy storage capacity scheme was approved to enable electricity to be stored on a large scale and used when required. This will enable better utilisation of solar and other renewable energy. The total capacity of 92 GWh has been divided into three parts- He further said that energy storage would also enable better utilisation of electricity transmission line capacity. For example, if 10 MW of transmission capacity has been created for a solar power plant, it cannot be fully utilised at night because solar electricity is not generated then. However, with storage facilities, electricity stored during the day can be transmitted later. Approval granted for processing of critical minerals Vaishnaw said, “The Cabinet has approved a scheme for processing critical minerals. Its aim is to process raw minerals extracted from mines or obtained through recycling so that they can be used directly in the production process.” He said the scheme would cover all 24 identified critical minerals. This includes minerals obtained from mines as well as those recovered through recycling. The scheme will give a major boost to the country’s manufacturing sector. These minerals are needed in electronics, semiconductors, batteries, defence equipment, heavy machinery and other industries. ₹4,371 crore approved for data collection system The Cabinet has also approved a ₹4,371-crore scheme to modernise the country’s data collection system. Its objective is to improve the process of collecting and verifying government data. Under the scheme, survey methods will be improved. The system for scrutinising and validating data will be strengthened. Errors in data collection will be reduced. Data collection-related courses will be introduced at universities. The scheme will focus on collecting data regularly and reviewing it periodically. Ashwini Vaishnaw said the aim of the scheme is to improve the country’s data collection system so that the government can obtain more reliable figures for policymaking.